Break Coffee Roasters is a proudly family-owned and operated specialty coffee company founded by David and Emily in 2018 in David's basement in Duluth, Georgia. What began as a simple idea to create exceptional breaks in people's days through high-quality coffee has evolved into a thriving roastery and cafe operation with locations in both Lawrenceville and Duluth in the North Atlanta suburbs.
The company opened its first cafe in 2019 in a small shopping center space, with friends and family helping to build tables, paint walls, and assemble furniture by hand. Emily designed the branding, packaging, and artwork while David focused on roasting operations. Just four weeks after opening, the global pandemic forced them to pivot to roasting and shipping coffee and curbside delivery, which helped them realize they weren't just serving coffee but creating space for meaningful breaks in everyday routines. This realization led to the official renaming to Break Coffee Roasters in 2022.
Break Coffee Roasters operates with three core values: Correctness, Fairness, and Accessibility. Correctness means seeking to do things the right way and staying curious about the craft of coffee. Fairness involves seeing each person as an individual and understanding that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to care. Accessibility means being generous with information and ensuring there are no dumb questions in the coffee education process.
The company's coffee philosophy centers on deliberately sourcing coffee from the right producers across the world, with every step intentionally focused on the people involved. They believe coffee is defined by the people who love to farm it, craft it, and savor it. Coffee is roasted to order for partners, ensuring the freshest possible product. They source a variety of coffees for single origins and blends, maintaining varied rotating selections while ensuring reliable flavor profiles for their signature blends.
Their current operation includes two locations: the Lawrenceville Roastery + Cafe at 235 N Perry St, which serves as their headquarters and main roasting facility, and a cafe location in downtown Duluth at 3122 Hill St. The Lawrenceville location opened in July 2024 and features their roasting operation along with cafe service, while the Duluth location opened in October 2022.
Break Coffee Roasters offers wholesale partnerships with hands-on expert support, team training, consulting, and cafe planning services. They've supported the opening and growth of many partner cafes over their five years in operation. Beyond retail and wholesale, they offer catering, consulting, equipment support, and educational resources through brew guides and blog content.
The company maintains a commitment to giving back, donating 10% of coffee bean sales to the communities they source from. Their mission emphasizes creating space for people to slow down and enjoy life's simple moments, viewing simplicity done with care as the ultimate luxury. They continue to operate as a scrappy, hands-on team while building an exceptional coffee experience for their customers and partners.